Cutaneous injury following acute UV-B radiation in a mouse model: a pilot histological study

Epidemiological and clinical studies have implicated solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, especially the UV-B radiation (290–320 nm wavelengths) as the principal agent that elicits sunburn, transient inflammation, melanoma and non-melanoma cancer, and premature skin aging. The common form of skin damage described as ‘photoaging’ is caused by repeated sun exposures; it can induce epithelial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage, and alter the structure and function of dermal connective tissue and extracellular matrix. The present study was aimed to elucidate the effects of a single exposure of different doses of UV-B radiation on the dorsal skin in the hairless mouse. The histopathologic sequels of such exposures were analyzed by using common staining methods, immunohistochemistry, and histomorphometry. Single UV-B exposures seem to elicit dose-graded histological changes some of which have been described in experiments with chronic exposure in this species.